Shumatsu no Tani
by Ou-Rex
Summary: It was the end, that made a new beginning between the kitsune and ryu. One was swallowed by the land snake the other the sea snake, both gone and without ally or fear, but an equal purpose.
1. Kitsune vs Ryu: From End to Beginning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor will I ever, so if someone sees the Plot Gerbils forging documents, catch them. **

**(A/N: This is Knight-Bishop's request, not my own genius lolz, is his.)**

**Shumatsu no Tani**

**Chapter 1: Kitsune vs Ryu: From End to Beginning**

He had finally done it. How could he be satisfied with this though? He stood over the body of the boy he had once considered to be a brother… a true brother who could not betray. The clouds parted temporarily, and allowed for a moment of clarity as Sasuke stood over the body of his _brother__**. **_Could he do it, and take his brother's life to achieve the _sharigan _that would earn him his revenge? The heavens seemed to have given him his answers as the storm clouds once again swallowed the sun and snatched away his opportunity.

The Uchiha continued to stare, headband scared by the force of their battle, the symbol of his commitment as a ninja of _Konohagakure_, taken. The band becomes undone and falls from the head of the sullen ninja who cannot find the peace of mind to _take _what was rightfully his to take.

The heavy rains that now filled the _Shumatsu no Tani_ and silently synchronized with the roar of the waterfall that separated the _Hi no Kuni_ and _Oto no Kuni_ beat like heavy hands upon leather skin drums and showered down against the burning skin of the young ninjas which were still ablaze with the heat of battle.

It was thanks to him that he was able to draw his power to its fullest; it had always been that _dobe_ that allowed him to strive to do his best. He used to believe he had to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders because if he did not, they would only drag him down, but that had never been the case, had it?

His eyes held shut as he attempted to urge the pain away with will power alone, but the burning from deep within his skull never broke, and only seemed to intensify with every passing moment. His eyes squeezed shut as he fought, in vain, to regain that feeling of drifting he felt before the pain began its course all over his body. Instead of driving the ache away, his actions only served to twist his guts onto the edge of agony. The ache only intensified and forced the Uchiha to his knees where he extruded the contents of his stomach. After purging his burning stomach twice more he opened his eyes only to see the mixture of blood and bile being washed away by the fat droplets that weighed down his soaked clothing even further, and chilled him to the bone. As he knelt and clutched at his stomach, he sat face to face to his rival, brother—to Naruto. Yes, in the end, it was thanks to Naruto he achieved the full power of the _sharingan, _but would he be able to reach _Mangekyō Sharigan_?

Everything was crisp, clear. He could see details that had once been invisible to his naked eye, but now coated in the power of his bloodline everything moved slower, everything was like a dream. To his eyes the rain stood still, and he looked past the heavy droplets to the blond haired ninja who lay at the bank of the river near the mouth.

Despite the pain and despite the numbness as the cold rains soaked his clothing… he smiled at the sight of his fallen rival: bloodied, bruised. Naruto's skin looked as if it has been burned with the fires of Sasuke's _jutsu_.

His dark laugh filled the valley like the roar of an untamed beast that has finally been freed of its years of isolation and containment. The rains continued to fill the valley and raise the river until Sasuke found it to his ankles and Naruto's dead weight barely floating atop. Sasuke looked down to Naruto once more as his crazed laughter died out. No… he would not, their fates were no longer intertwined, no longer connected. With this act, it had been severed.

Sasuke vanished and left Naruto to the fate the river had planned for him. For him to drown would be a better fate than what he would later suffer, should they meet again.

Several hours later Kakashi and Pakkun arrive at the flooded banks of the _Shumatsu no Tani_. The _Kopi no Ninja_ soon realized how badly things had gotten. The damage to not only the statues, but the valley itself was indescribable. They searched the valley for any sign of the two young ninja. Even with the pairs light steps the water heavily sloshed beneath their motions as the rain drummed against the flooded valley. Pakkun was chest deep in the water. He did his best to search, and even managed a snout full of water but through it all, not even Pakkun's exceptionally sharp nose could find scent of neither Naruto nor Sasuke, but the petite pug's sensitive pads stepped onto something warm in the chilling waters. The bright eye pug, with sopping wet fur and uniform tilted his head to the side and looked down at his reflection. He looked deep in thought and finally saw through the clear liquid. The _ninken_ returned to Kakashi with the headbands of both ninja, leading the team leader to fear the worst possible outcomes. One of them could be injured and lost in the forest, and they could be … The sensei did not want to consider either option, so he made the choice to report back to _Konohagakure_ and get the search party out immediately. Before the _Kopi no Ninja _turned back for Konoha he summoned a second _ninken: _Shibo. The large grey dog, with a crest of almost black fur atop his head stood ankle deep in the water. He looked up to Kakashi curiously.

"Do whatever you can to find any trace of them." The team leader orders.

"Roger!" Shiba barked and took off toward along the _Shumatsu no Tani_ bank.

Tsunade headed the _iryo-nin_ teams and several Anbu operatives also took part in the search. Back at the village of _Konoha _a number of the villagers were left to worry. It was turned many of the adults had feared the boy and wanted him gone, but they did not realize just how dangerous it could be had an enemy turned Uzumaki against them. Sure he was a goof, troublemaker and held a deadly secret in his belly… but he was safe from being used against the village, but they did not worry for his wellbeing, not like his _friends. _They were indeed friends after all this time. The younger squads, though often in contempt of Naruto's and Sasuke's adolescent behaviors at times…they were still their friends. And two particular members of Squad seven and Squad eight took the sudden news the hardest.

For Haruno Sakura she had lost not one, but two close teammates. The young kunoichi had held herself up in her room and had not come out since the news arrived. Only until they brought back definite news would she come out, the kunoichi deemed. Hyuuga Hinata also took the news with horror. When the words left Kakashi's mouth, the young white-eyed kunoichi fainted, unable to handle the swell of sadness, fear and regret that flooded her system.

It was days… days spent searching for the two boys. All resources available at the time were used to find the boys, an Anbu team had even been sent ahead just in case Sasuke had been able to find his way to Oorochimaru, but there were no traces of either of the boys, everything had been washed away by the flood.

As Kakashi combed the riverbanks with the ninken, a loud bray of barks broke the silence of the air, all searchers gave pause when the ninken alerted and they stood ready. The largest of Kakashi's ninken: Buru, padded toward Kakashi, his heavy paws leaving indentations in the soft mud of the bank. Riding on his head was Pukkun. In Buru's mouth was the torn, bloodied, orange jacket which belonged to Uzumaki Naruto. Kakashi knelt down and took the torn clothing from Buru.

"Where did you find it?" The sensei questioned, unwilling to jump to conclusions.

The ninken lead their master and the ninja team to the spot where they found it. They found various pieces of torn clothes belonging to the young ninja around the riverbank. As Kakashi and the rescuers searched there was evidence that animals had gotten into the clothing, and the mixed scents only further debilitated the ninken's ability to find the young ninja. They searched that one area for days, and found nothing.

It came time to call off the search, resources had to be put into strengthening Konohagakure's defenses before more enemies arrived, they no longer had the time or assets to search for two lost boys, family or not. Sakura reluctantly returned to her duties as a kunoichi. In their life death was not an uncommon thing, but neither was it easy to lose such close comrades. Hinata however did not recover as well as Sakura, and the young Hyuuga heiress spent her time training alone or with her cousin Hyuuga Neji. Everyone tried to get Neji to talk to them about Hinata, but he refused and said it was his duty to protect her… as her cousin and only other person who understood her feelings.

The sound of waves lapping against the beach was always a soothing sound too wake to…

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

**(A/N: Glossary for your inane questions of my doom!)  
**

**Shumatsu no Tani: Valley of End**

**Dobe: lowest ranking, worst**

**Hi no Kuni: Land of Fire**

**Oto no Kuni: Land of Sound**

**Jutsu: Skill, ability**

**Ninken: Ninja dog**

**Iryo-nin: Medical Ninja**

**Kunoichi: Female ninja**


	2. Cherry Blossoms in the Sun

**Chapter 2: Cherry Blossoms in the Sun**

Team seven was but a shadow of its former self. The only remaining team member was Haruno Sakura, but even so, that did not stop the kunoichi from training with the _Godaime Hokage, _Tsunade, on a daily basis. Much of Kakashi-sensei's time was put into using the ninken to gather information with Anbu about the boarders of the Hi no Kuni. There were many rumored sightings of a man fitting Kabuto's description around the Hi no Kuni boarders, but with Kabuto's seemingly expert ability to disguise himself it was unrealizable information, for if Sasuke did manage to survive it was assured he would be looking for Oorochimaru's company.

Shiba had yet to return to the ninken pack and though Kakashi was somewhat worried for his canine companion he knew Shiba could care for himself and would return had anything seemed far out of his league. As for that particular ninken, he had obeyed Kakashi's command to search for signs. There were many signs, as the ninken interpreted, the strange shifting in the waters and the abnormally high rains they received.

The ninken padded along the river and followed the heavy washing flow as the usually calm river to the Shumatsu no Tani became a raging white surge. The ground was saturated with water; this had caused the ninken's paws to leave heavy imprints as he crossed along the bank, careful not to get to close so he would not be swept away into the ocean with anything that would cross its path. The ninken's ears perked at this thought. The silver, white-bellied hound took off running and came to a stop at the edge of a secondary waterfall that washed away into the ocean. What if Naruto was washed away? The hound perked his ears to the sounds of the lapping waves of the ocean. It was always a soothing sound, but his sensitive ninken ears could easily detect that the waves were heavier than usual, the unusual downpour had emanated from off the coast, across the ocean… and whatever caused it headed back from whence it came. The ninken barked and growled deeply. It would have to find a way to follow its command, the trail, and its mark.

Shiba raced down the eroded limestone cliffs of the shore toward the beach. Even there, he noticed, the sand was inundated with rain water, it as if a tsunami had hit, but there was no time to think on it. Shiba raced along the coast looking for any sign that something as heavy as Naruto, or anything could be washed that far by a small flood in the valley. Shiba ran, and his panting intakes of breath were visible on the air as the chilling cold penetrated his thin fur. His heavy pawfalls padded in muffled gallops against the sand, until the hound came to a stop, horrified by what he saw. A dreaded barking yelp escaped his muzzle at the horror. A massive tiger, which by its scent Shiba was sure it came from the Hi no Kuni, had been washed down with several uprooted trees down to the coast. Shiba carefully sniffed around the tiger's body. The area was thick with the smell of the forest and laden with the aroma of salt water. Shiba gave pause mid step, his left forepaw just off the ground. The tiger's paw came flying down upon the ninja dog, forcing wet, mucky sand to erupt into the air.

Shiba landed and slid back several meters before coming to a stop, his head lowered and back arched as he growled deeply. The tiger sauntered to its feet and shook the heavy sands from its coat. The wild beast was massive, and dehydrated from all of the ingested saltwater, but most of all it was hungry, and Shiba looked to be quite the bite sized meal. The fierce pin-striped orange cat pulled its lips back in a threatening growl and Shiba lowered his head only to return a growl of his own.

***~~~~~~~~~~~***

Sakura's fists landed with heavy blows against the training bag. The sand-filled contraption jerked and jumped with each impact to threaten it from the young kunoichi's fists. Tsunade, for three days since after the news of Sasuke and Naruto, had been training the young girl, who she felt was much like he in many ways. Her exceptional chakra control would allow her strength like no other, a strength she would need to overcome the feelings she would beat into the training bag daily.

With every landed fist the pink-haired kunoichi would feel as more and more regret would surface. It had been what she feared. Sasuke had abandoned them, Naruto was nowhere to be found, but she refused to believe either of them was dead. She heard the whispers. They would gossip every time she passed by on her lonely walk home. They hoped for Naruto's death for the secret he held, they hoped for Sasuke's death for betraying Konoha, but they knew nothing of her friends.

Truth be told, for a long time she knew nothing of her teammates. She was told, told of Naruto's burden, duty to Konoha to house the demon _Kyubi no Yoko _and the identity of the one who wiped out all of the Uchiha clan in one night. Until than she knew nothing and was ignorant of their pain, suffering. Comparatively Sakura had a good and normal life. It made her sick thinking about it, how she believed she could simply tell them it was alright, and they would snap out of it, but seeing that they suffered—truly suffered, from relatively young ages, it was not something that could be tossed away with a pat on the back. She no longer wished to be the weak little girl on the sidelines, cheering them on she swore this during the _Chuunin _exams, yet still she seems so far behind those two, no, she would get stronger, both emotionally and physically, and become more than just moral support for her two, precious friends.

In the Hyuga compound Neji would constantly train with his cousin Hinata. Everyone knew she was struck the hardest by the rumor of Naruto and Sasuke disappearance because of her estranged infatuation with the boy, Uzumaki Naruto, but none truly understood the extent until after the news arrived… Hyuga Hiashi could see the marked changes in his eldest daughter. For a long time he had considered Hinata far too gentle to be the true heiress of the household as her sister, Hanabi, was far more talented with the family's _kekkei genkai, Byakuken, _which allowed them to physically see the flow of chakra within an enemy's body. With Hinata's daily intensifying training, Hiashi was slowly changing his opinion of both his daughter and Uzumaki.

Neji knew not what to say to his cousin as she would come closer and closer to defeating him with each session. He knew she hurt, regret, but what would she do if it was _true_? Neji was nearly caught in the chest by Hinata's palm, his mind distracted by her despair. He sighed in relief having caught her attack in time, but quickly lost the will to counter when he saw her sullen expression. Her softly lavender tinted eyes just stared and he could only sigh.

"Neji-kun…" Her soft voice called out, which snapped the youth to attention.

He looked down to Hinata as she looked up to him, tears welling in her eyes.

"I…" What did she want to say?

Did she want to truly admit it out loud? Well because she did not now he may never know, and this thought only led to more pain. She shook her head, fighting away the regret that ached constantly. She pushed it down, pushed it away to fester somewhere deep in her heart. She knew what she wanted to say, but she would save that for his ears.

"I want to get stronger." She spoke up, causing Neji to raised questioning brow at his crestfallen cousin.

Hinata stood up and pulled her attacking hand away, relaxing her stance.

"I want to get stronger so I can find him, and tell him." She admitted as she clasped her hands to her chest.

Neji nearly jumped back when her serious, determined eyes met his. Was she really that determined? Just for him? If it was the old him he would never believe it, but Naruto had a way of changing people for the better, he could personally attest to that. Neji took a ready stance and held up his hands.

"Then you have to prove it to yourself Hinata…" Neji spoke, supporting his cousin's resolve.

Hinata smiled warmly at Neji, but then became serious, she would not falter. She knew in her heart he was out there, somewhere and she would bring him back, she would be the first he saw, not the unfamiliar mask of an Anbu.

***~~~~~~**~~~~~~***

The lapping sound of the ocean breaking against the coast was always nice to wake up to, but not when you were face first in it. With gasping chokes a young blonde-haired male, with distinct whisker stripes cut against his cheeks, he pulled to his feet, soaked to the bone in the chilling ocean water. Sand, attracted by his wet skin, covered the naked flesh of his arms face and neck. All that was left of his uniform was a tattered white tee shirt he often wore under his jacket and his orange pants. His sandals were still intact and he instinctively brought his hand to his tool back against his backside.

_**Get out of the cold already.**_

An annoyed, raspy voice called in his head, unsure of where the voice came from, the young ninja did see the sense in the determined advice. He had to get away from the water. Without knowing where he was, where he came from, or where he was going, the boy treaded on through the thick fog that choked the surrounding area. His feet pressed against the sand as he dragged his body along. Water permeated the air, the smell of it heavy no matter where he seemed to go, even as he neared what appeared to be forest, too was covered in the water laden fog. The young blond-haired ninja felt his body grow heavier by the second, but he fought to find a dry place to collapse.

Soon he was able to find a jutting rock face that shaded a relatively dry patch of ground within the forest. For now he needed rest, when his mind was clear he would concern himself with the other questions floating in his head, and with these questions the second resident of his body found this all most… interesting. Was this a new start with he and his host? This would prove most interesting. Perhaps he could lead the boy into defeating the one that had shamed them both in battle, but for now, yes, they needed to rest and regain their energy. For now, the second voice thought, he would leave the boy be and see how this turns out, and manipulate things to his favor, after all he was quite amused by his host and his antics, why let them go to waste?

* * *

**(A/N: Hinata's name means "sunny place" and Sakura "cherry blossom" hence the title, now away with the inanity of your questions!)**


	3. Kouka no Tora

**Chapter 3: Kouka no Tora**

The young, blonde ninja arose with a shiver. The bone chilling feeling raced from the top of his head to the tips of his bare toes. The nipping air forced him from his deep sleep. He sat up, and crunched the nest of dead leaves beneath his body that acted as his bedding for the time being. As he rubbed sleepily at his eyes he could begin to remember waking at the edge of a foreign shore, in unfamiliar surroundings, unable to remember his own name, even now all he could recall were a means to summon his jutsu from deep within his body. That, it seemed, was something so ingrained into his being that he could not forget it, but for this he was thankful, but also hungry.

"Ah harahetta-tteyo." The ninja complained of his huger and now growling belly.

**Than get something to eat, simple isn't it?**

The voice in his head chided. Whatever it was, was right. Another churning ache in his belly forced the rested ninja to his feet. He was a little wobbly at first but after a moment, he leapt up into the tree line. It took a few noisy bounds, the pad of his sandals slamming into the outreaching branches, before he was able to recall how to push the chakra to the soles of his feet and push off with quieter and more efficient jumps.

"Hey! This is pretty easy-tteyo!" He said with a smug grin as he rubbed the base of his nose, only for the voice to scoff.

"Tsk!" The boy scoffed. "Someone's hungry." He mocked.

The kyubi laughed deep in his throat, his head pulling back at the insinuation. The blond male soon found himself in a closed off room filled with water. The blue-eyed male blinked and looked around.

**Hahaha…lost in your thoughts boy? Never thought I'd see the day.**

The blonde ninja jumped back when two massive eyes from behind tall steel bars opened up and glared down at him. The firy look was like that of a demon, but at the same time it was the challenging look of an opponent.

"Who are you?" He asked as he stepped forward against the rippling surface.

He tilted his head slightly and examined the sutra that sat on the cage bars. The _tenji_ read _**Seal. **_The young boy walked up to the cage and sat down in front of it, legs crossed and back straight. He lazily yawns and stretched out before leaning forward. Kyubi was intrigued by his haphazard reaction. Normally he kept his distance and was always defensive around him. Could it perhaps be because he did not know his true nature? Kyubi grinned at this ironic concept.

**Mind your step boy.**

With that the boy snapped from his thoughts mid-step, but because of his waning attention he missed placing his foot above solid ground and came crashing down.

"Whooaa!" He cried out only for a scream to meet his and a thunderous crash erupted through the forest, scattering wildlife due to the ruckus.

Kyubi chuckled at his host's predicament, only to fade off into silence as he pushed up to his feet.

"Itai." A soft voice called from beneath the boy.

"Gomen!" He apologized as he jumped off the figure beneath him.

A tan tent tarp rustled around until a young girl popped her head from the now totaled campsite.

"Mou…I just finished building it up!" She complained seemingly to no one.

She was a young girl seemed to be no older than fifteen years of age. She wore a red headband over her forehead where a pair of wire-framed glasses sat perched. As she stood and unwrapped herself from the ruined tent the young man examined her form. She was of scrawny build and had black markings along her arm that reminded him of a cat's stripes. She had a peculiarly elongated canine that gave her a strange expression as she pouted and looked over the mess with her amber eyes. The boy shook his head and motioned to the girl.

"I'm really sorry, are you okay-tteyo?" He regretted once again.

The girl pulled her glasses over her nose so she could get a better look at the boy. She blinked and shook her head.

"Oh n-no no! Don't worry about it! It was my fault for making camp in the forest like this!" She quickly exonerated him for any err.

The boy blinked a moment at her odd reasoning. The girl sighed and knelt down as she dejectedly picked up her ruined tent bit by bit. Feeling a bit remorseful, seeing as it was his fault for getting distracted, helped the girl clean up the pieces and they even managed to put the tent back together, though it was a little crooked.

"Home sweet home!" She laughed out and turned to the boy. "We make a great team! Thanks for that! Hey what's your name? Everyone around here calls me Kouka no Tora!" She blurted out not giving the boy a chance to speak.

"Ah…" He hesitated and looked to the girl a bit nervously. "Actually I don't know my name.

Thinking on it: it seemed kind of stupid to forget your own name and still remember to use those strange abilities… The girl began to laugh, which only made the boy angry at being mocked.

"Hey! What's so funny." He asserted.

The girl smiled brightly, something he had not expected.

"We're the same!" She chirped excitedly. "I don't know my name either!" She exclaimed.

The boy blinked moment and pointed to her disbelievingly.

"You just said your name was Kouka no Tora…" He noted.

She shook her head and motioned her hands nervously.

"N-n! That's what everyone around here calls me!" She reassured. "I haven't known my real name for years! But I like the name they gave me." She giggled.

The boy continued to look at her suspiciously but she did not seem like someone dangerous.

"Hey I know since you don't know your name can I give you one?!" She begged as she leaned close and clasped her hands together.

He looked at her with hesitation but gave a nod. Tora giggled and pressed the tip of her finger against the boy's cheeks. He raised brow at her.

"You know your whiskers are a lot like my stripes." She made note, the boy reached up and touched his face.

He really has not seen himself yet and was not sure what she meant. How where his _whiskers _any similar to her stripes? She smiled brightly and held up a finger.

"Koneko!" She pointed at the young boy who reeled back in shock.

"What?! A kitten?! Are you serious?!" He could hear the strange voice in his head laughing.

Tora nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well of course. I'm the tiger, and since you're new around here and still obviously a bumbling kitten." She said as she motioned across her face, mimicking his whiskers. "Ko-chan." She affirmed with all seriousness.

He sighed, relenting that it was better than being called _boku _all the time.

"Fine, whatever-tteyo." He sneered as he rubbed his hand over his snarling belly. "But I'm still hungry." He whined pathetically as he slipped to the ground.

Tora giggled as she bounced over to a pile of things he could only assume were her belongings.

"Well since Ko-chan worked so hard, how about we celebrate with some ramen I acquired!?" She said with a grin as she held up some cups of instant ramen.

That sounded oddly appealing and the newly dubbed _Ko-chan _nodded in full agreement to some lunch! Tora giggled and handed him the cups before grabbing a pot from her things.

"I'll get the water to boil~!" She cheerfully skipped off.

Soon the pair were happily slurping down several cups of the hot, instant meal.

"kya I'm full-tteyo!" _Ko-chan _sighed as he patted his overstuffed belly and laid back.

Tora giggled and leaned back, legs still crossed beneath her. She stared up into the mist covered canopies and sighed peacefully.

"Hey Ko-chan?" Tora called as she reached back into a pile of clothes and stood up.

She walked over to Ko-chan and held something dangling over his face.

"Hn?" He being used to his new name already.

He opened his eyes and stared up at the red headband. His brows furrowed as his squint blue eyes looked over to her, seeking some sort of explanation.

"Seeing as neither of us know our names, wanna be part of my clan? A Kouka?" She giggled as she dropped the bandana into Ko's hands as he sat up.

He felt a strangely familiar feeling well in his chest at the profound gesture. He wrapped the bandana to his forehead and looked to Tora. She smiled at the whisker-faced boy, feeling a little less lonely out there in the wilderness.

"Kouka Koneko and Kouka Tora. I think that's mighty appealing!" She obviously amused by their titles.

Ko-chan laughed and laid back, sighing deeply, feeling somewhat touched by the memorable act.

"Hey Kouka…" he began.

"Tora. I mean we're family now right?" She mused as she sat down next to him, the chilly mist no longer really affecting him.

"Tora…" He corrected. "Where are we?" It still ate at the back of his mind; he felt so out of place.

Tora thought on his question for a bit before laying her head on his stomach and stared up at the fog-filled treetops.

"The people of the villages call this land Mizu no Kuni." She murmured as she reached out her hand and looked to the black markings against the back of it. "They called the village _Kirigakure no sato. _It's just beyond this forest, near the mountains." She closed her eyes and laid her hands on her chest.

"_Kirigakure…" _Ko-chan repeated. "Hm, sounds boring." He chuckled as he closed his eyes.

"Yeah." Tora chuckled. "I'll show you how boring it is one day, later…" She murmured as the pair slipped into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

**(A/N: Inanity ends here:**

**Kouka no Tora: Tiger of the Crimson Mist.**

**Hatahetta: I'm hungry**

**Boku: **_**you, I, me **_**(male)**

**Koneko: Kitten**

**Mizu no Kuni: Land of Water**

**Kirigakura no sato: Village hidden in the Mist.**


	4. Determination

**Chapter 4: Determination**

The girls were anything but unmotivated in their training. Everyone had felt that the village had returned to normal. They trusted the _Godaime Hokage_ and her assurance that everything was being taken care of.

In reality she was hit the hardest by this tragedy. She had truly believed Naruto would break the curse of her necklace and strive to fulfill his dream. She had taken the place of Hokage until he proved he was ready. It had been so hard to open up enough heart to believe the young boy, she had poured all of her experiences and belief into trusting Naruto could not and would not die. The curse of the crystal necklace was as strong as ever, but she could not stop and mourn. She had work, and she absorbed herself in it, doing whatever she could and handed out Rank Missions if only to avoid the incoming reports from the Anbu of the clear borders. They were far from a time where young people would stop having to die for a mistake the adults had made in their lives. Maybe, had they truly seen what kind of person Oorchimaru was, they perhaps could have prevented everything that was to come. Shizune watched as Tsunade showed obvious signs of the Hokage falling in deeper and deeper into self-isolation. Though the older iryo-nin worked and kept up with caring for the village, knowing the older woman for years gave her intimate knowledge of her trouble.

Tsunade did not want to believe Naruto was dead, and Shizune got the feeling that even if it meant Sasuke was being harbored by an enemy, she wished him well and alive because at least than she did not completely fail in her duty as not only Hokage, but she had not failed herself. Shizune looked down to Tonton who sadly squealed at his master's regression. Shizune smiled softly.

"Come on Tonton let's go ready some tea." The young iryo-non offered to the tiny pot-belly as she set him down and walked down the hall.

The tiny pig looked back and huffed his nose before bouncing off after Shizune, leaving his master to mope.

Elsewhere in Konoha, at the Hyuga compound, another felt the devastating effects of losing someone close to you. Hyuga Hinata, though her abilities were increasing by the day because of her endless hours of training and sparring, her personality took a drastic shift that her father, Hyuga Hiashi did not fail to notice. When the head of the household questioned young Neji of the change, the young Hyuga responded that Hinata had not changed; she has merely found the courage and strength to become something _more. _What was the more, Hiashi wondered, was that boy's disappearance really that devastating to his eldest? Perhaps he had misplaced his emotions somewhere along the lines because that is how everyone else treated the boy. He was a vassal for a demon, was he not? Neji and Hinata knew and understood something he could not.

Because of this, and because of the Hokage's strong will to make sure those boys were safe he had offered his assistance in the search now the resources to find the lost boys had fallen to volunteers from Anbu and those who had a strong connection with the boys. When the younger squads were not out on missions, they spent their time alternating between volunteering to search for their comrades and sleep.

Sakura also did her best, because without Naruto and Sasuke she was alone. Team 7 was no more. At times the kunoichi found herself crying in her sleep and when it was so she would get up and train. She would work over the sand bag in her room until it split at the seams and she fell exhausted. It became her ritual, the only means in which she would find peace in her sleep, and guilt. Had she only stopped Sasuke, she thought. Had she only been kinder to Naruto, she regretted, but no amount of guilt would help her get stronger, so she pushed the pain away, and fought, trained, and endured so that one day she would be able to save them both from their fates. She would bring Naruto and Sasuke back home, and return her team to the way it was.

***~~~~~~~~~~~***

Shiba stood at the bow of a fishing boat as it sailed across the sea. His neck and shoulders had been bandaged by and old fisherman after his intense battle with the tiger had come to an end. The old fellow did his deed to his country by helping the old ninken of Konoha. Shiba had seen this as a chance and a sign and followed the old man, who had patched him up, to the sea. What was across the ocean? What was this way? Shiba had never been to the sea before and knew not what was beyond this border of the Hi no Kuni.

"_Mizu no Kuni._" The old man murmured.

The ninken perked his ears and looked back at the old man as he readied his net. The fisherman wore a ragged old vest and shorts, sandals soaked and softened from his constant ventures to the sea.

"Beyond the sea lies the Mizu no Kuni, and beyond that, the borders of the Kirigakure." He began. "Being out here at the sea, you really seem to forget all these lines and boundaries that man has a tendency to put up against their brother. In the end we just end up forgetting that we were once one people, one family." The old man sighed.

They were times of war; times where these borders and boundaries were the only things that could keep peace, even if it was a falsified peace extended by worthless pieces of papers taken from the land they had once shared in the distant past. Shiba barked, alerting the old man as he put a paw onto the nose of the old fishing boat.

"Hold on!" The old man urged the desperate _inu_.

Shiba gave pause and looked to the old man as he curiously tiled his head, his crest swaying against the sea-breeze. The fisherman stood and walked to an old wicker basket that held his bento safe. He picked up the bento which was wrapped in an old, dulled handkerchief. He walked to Shiba and tied it to the ninken's vest.

"I suppose you got some mission to do, I won't ask ya," he chuckled, "But stay safe ya'hear? For the good of not just Konoha, but everyone." He offered.

Shiba looked to the bento and barked. He gave a nod to the fisherman before diving overboard. The old man rushed to the edge to make sure the ninken resurfaced. He let out a sigh of relief when SHiba's head popped from the churning oceans and he swam outward the mist of the sea.

* * *

**(A/N: Inane? I said Ney)**

**Godaime Hogake: Literally "The Fifth Fire Shadow"**

**Inu: Dog**


	5. Gama and the Hebi

**Chapter 5: Gama and the Hebi**

A week has gone by since Sasusuke and Naruto's disappearance and the famed _Gama Sennin_ sat facing an empty notebook, an awkward silence. There he sat, legs crossed, atop a stone tiled roof just facing Konoha's local _sento_. The hermit's snow white hair was brushed by the rooftop winds as it blew across the Konoha skies. It had been a clear day, for a while, until clouds began to roll in. The summer showers has come every day and left a dark sheen across the frequented dirt roads, and left large, reflective puddles that reflected the clouds, creating a picturesque landscape. The small book where Jiraiya takes notes, sat in his palm, the pages flickering in the wind as he held the small book open with his thumb pressed against the middle while his fingers curled back against the spine. He had no motivation, no will.

Every day he would come out here for research only to find himself idling away on memories. He had returned only to hear that Naruto and Sasuke had vanished, after their duel at the Shumatsu no Tani. Jiraiya himself traveled to the valley to see with his own eyes, the proof of their battle. It was horrifying. Their chakra still burned against the craggy cliffs and evidence of their battle still wounded the sky-reaching rock walls. There was no trace of him, and if Sasuke was alive he was sure that Oorochimaru had coiled his scaly fingers around the boy. For as far back as Jiraiya could remember the old _hebi _had a deadly understanding of kinjutsu, who knows what he was planning to do to Sasuke. The old Toad Sage was at a road block. He ha d no inspiration, not while the boy that he held such high aspirations for was missing. Naruto's reckless, but even he would not do something so hapless and die on him. Jirauya stood and pocketed his notebook and gripped his hand into a fist.

"And when I find you I'll make you a real man!" Jiraiya laughed victoriously before leaping off on his _geta. _

Deep in the forests of the Hi no Kuni, under one of the great waterfalls that feeds the powerful land with its water, sat a lone, young male, deep in concentration. The freezing water beat over his head as head in a flowing rhythm as his short black hair lay flat against the power. He stared off into his own warped reflection, as the waterfall constantly churned the mirroring surface, keeping the view he once had of himself far from reach. The only thing he could make out in the water were his glowing red eyes that pulsed with the power of the sharingan. He wanted to understand, why was he unable to kill Naruto? Naruto himself would have understood. A loss was a loss, but he could not bring himself to striking the ninja dead.

To defeat his brother Uchiha Itachi he would need a power that would equal his and for that he needed _Mangekyo Sharingan_, but in order to receive the power of Mangekyo one had to kill that who was closest to them, that is what he has been taught all of his life of the Mangekyo. The _nukenin_ continued to stare into the water contemplating his faults. If Oorochimaru could bring him closer to his goal of finding Itachi, then so be it. He was the only one with any sort of affiliation with his brother and if he were to have any sort of revenge, it would be through the _hebi, _but until than he had to train, and earn the Mangekyo some other way. He was sure there had to be another way. He had nothing left to return to because of Itachi. The young _nukenin _found himself unable to move forward since that day. His progress was arrested, until he met Naruto…

That's why he could not kill him, because he was the only one that could stand against him, the only one that had pushed him to strive ahead if only in spite. "_I can't even tell what you said before was true…" _Those words were like a knife to his weakness. He had been consumed by the curse seal and hoped it would be the path he sought to the Mangekyo Sharingan, but he questioned the resolve Sasuke thought he had, he questioned his _katakiuchi_. He owed Naruto his life. Because of Naruto he was able to strive forward and find resolve to his revenge. For the sake of _katakiuchi,_ he will force himself forward just in the same way Naruto forged ahead. Regardless of the consequences, regardless of how many tried to stop him.

Yakushi Kabuto watched the young _nukenin_ from a distance. Befouled, disrespectful boy. The young iryo-nin had an obvious hate for the Uchiha, and his constant disrespect of Oorochimaru-sama. He'll just see how useful that boy will be, and would keep a close eye on him for the future.

Soon Shiba was washed onto land. The poor ninken had grown exhausted by the powerful waves in the turbulent ocean and had floated most of the way, but the freezing temperatures weakened the ninken considerably. When he washed ashore his eyes squeezed closed as a light shone over his head.

"Hey, are you okay?" The familiar voice called. "You're a Konoha ninja aren't you?" It asked.

Shiba realized they were talking to him and he startled. He suddenly felt his body purge the heavy salt waters from his lungs and stomach and the canine sat up on his belly and coughed forcefully.

"haha, relax, here, com'on." The male voice said as he set down the lantern by Shiba.

The ninken winced at the bright light, eyes still blurry from his difficult travels. The male hoisted the hound up. Shiba had enough strength to push up and lay across the male's back. From the size Shiba could tell it was a young body, but the hound was too fatigued to think much more and lay his head on the boy's shoulder. The boy picked up his lantern and carried the ninken into eh forest. The hound fell fast asleep, lulled by the rocking motions of the boy's walking.

When the ninken roused from its slumber, with a start and a barking yelp he found himself on the floor of a small home covered in blankets and a bowl of water and food near his head. When Shiba heard footsteps rounding the corner he immediately shot to his paws only to feel weak, groaned and collapse.

"Whoa, you okay there?" The boy chuckled as he knelt down and helped Shiba steady himself.

Shiba looked up to the boy. He wore a white sun hat and loose white shirt and knee-cut pants. He looked about seven or eight. Shiba's ears perked when he recognized the young boy to be Inari from the _Nami no Kuni_ meaning… he had certainly lost his way, but perhaps it was the same for Naruto, and he only washed away this far, it was a greater chance with the waves that surround the Nami no Kuni from the Hi no Kuni's shore from the Shumatsu River, it was possible.

***~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~***

**(A/N Innaimanity)**

**Gama: Toad**

**Gama Sennin: Toad Sage**

**Hebi: Snake**

**Sento: Public Baths (paid facilities)**

**Nukenin: rouge ninja**

**Kinjutsu: Forbidden Skills**

**Katakiuchi: ideal of revenge or vengeance upon an enemy who has shamed your honor or family.**

**Nami no Kuni: Land of Waves**


	6. That Time, Without You

**Chapter 6: That Time, Without You**

Two years have passed and the lives of the villagers of Konoha have moved on. The loss of life is a passing for a ninja village. For a time there were many that feared the boy who carried the _Kyubi no Yoko _would be used against them, and mourned the loss of the last Uchiha as well. There was nothing they could do. There were still those who adamantly believed that Naruto and Sasuke were still alive. They had been unable to retrieve Sasuke and had since lost his trail. ANBU continued to survey the lands and search for Oorchimaru and his prodigal new partner. After the young Inari and his grandfather Tazuna returned Shiba to the Konohakagure the hound committed to the fact that he had followed Naruto's scent to the ocean, but had been washed away to the Nami no Kuni. Shiba's vindication to the fact he had seen no proof to the possibility that Naruto could have been killed, only strengthened the resolve of Sakura, Hinata and Kakashi. Though they had other responsibilities, they would not allow the people closest to them to be lost to the harsh world outside of their village. Sakura had grown into a strong and responsible iryo-nin whose taijutsu could only be matched by the Godaime Hokage herself. Though Skarua still believed Sasuke was alive, after Shiba's return and hearing how Inari had found him, she began to lose faith. Shiba had been unable to find any trace of Naruto on the Nami no Kuni, but neither had he found proof of his death. Had the sea swallowed him whole and mercilessly refused to spit him back out?

Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi, also known as the Konohamaru Squad, had finally become Genin. After completing their missions they had been brought before Iruka-sensei and Tsunade for their mission's evaluation. Konohamaru believed in Naruto's strength and looked up to him like a blood brother. The young team was scolded by Ebisu for their lack of efficiency at carrying out the training.

"I can't show my true strength as a ninja with these lame low-class missions _kore_." He huffed as he looked up to the panel and sighed. "Ne Iruka-sensei, Don't you have any cool missions for me?" He complained.

"Konohamaru you just became Genin." Ebisu lectured. "I cannot be expected to give such missions straight away." He added.

Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest and nodded as her blond bangs fell against her cheeks.

"It'll be D-rank Missions until further notice." The hokage affirmed.

In annoyance Konohamaru slummed to the ground. He had replaced his old goggles that had once mimicked Naruto and wore his headband, much like his big brother had, signifying his becoming a true ninja, and allowed his blue scarf to curl around his legs as he crossed them and touched his sandals sole to sole.

"I can't be satisfied with that _kore!_" he complained with a pout, scratches still marring his face from his previous cat hunting mission, etching his dirtied skin. "After all I'm going to be the seventh Hokage in the future!" he proclaimed, which caused the panel to look at the young boy with confusion.

"Seventh?" Tsunade stated with a raised brow. "Don't you mean sixth?" Seeing as she was currently the fifth.

"Because Naruto nii-chan is going to be the sixth." He proudly announced.

His words shocked those present. Considering it had been two years since his disappearance, Konohamaru had seemed to be the only one not affected by the loss, considering that Naruto was like his idol. He had faith in Uzumaki Naruto. He had not been the only one to still believe in Naruto though. Hinata was still driving forward, and progressing so that she would be the one to bring him home. As the Konohamaru Squad made their way from the Hokage Tower, Udon and Moegi voiced their worry.

"Naruto nii-chan uh?" The young boy sniffled with his constant sinus troubles.

"I wonder where he is…" Moegi sighed and looked to Konohamaru as he marched along with his arms folded behind his head.

The young ninja grinned and stared up into the sky.

"I bet he'll return having become an awesome shinobi _kore._" Konohamaru said with assurance. "I have faith in him."

Shizune, Tsunade and Iruka-ensei watched as the trio left.

"More like a second Naruto than a seventh Hokage." The Godaime regretfully mused.

Tsunade still had a shred of hope slivered away in her heart. Hearing Konohamaru's bravado about Naruto and the heartfelt emotion behind his words caused that splinter to slice free and into the open. Iruka grinned. He had long since assured himself that Naruto was too stubborn to die, heck he was too hardheaded to even know what death was if he was staring it in the face. Iruka believed that until Naruto took his place as Hokage, he would never give up his life or his _nindo_. The scarred sensei sighed and looked longingly into the horizon.

"_Naruto…_" He thought. "_I wonder how you're holding up, wherever you are." _The sensei worried, after all Naruto was his only remaining _family _in this world.

Naruto had promised with his heart that he would bring Sasuke back. And because it was his _nindo _to never go back on a promise, Iruka was confident he would do it, no matter what happens.

"_Quite a bit of time has passed since he's disappeared." _Iruka thought to himself as he surveyed Konoha from his vantage.

Tsunade looked up and glared out of the window. All of the village's misplaced worry meant nothing because they were not the ones who protected the village now. It was them, the children who believed in one another and found strength in each other's weaknesses. Naruto was believed to be the village's greatest weakness, but little could everyone see he had become their greatest strength.

"We need him to return." The Godaime Hokage announced, her hope rekindled by the simple and true words of Konohamaru. "There will be significant changes soon, and he and the others may be our only hope."

Hinata was now sixteen and still trained and lived at the Hyuga compound but has been moved to her own private quarters where she had her own bath and training room as she would spend less and less time involved with the family. The only member of the Hyuga clan that had continuous contact with the kunoichi was her cousin Neji Hyuga. Neji sat outside the compound on the porch of the front entrance. He was exhausted after training eight straight hours with the ever powerful Hyuga heiress.

"Yo." A familiar voice called from the main gate.

Neji looked up with a weary sigh and saw the familiar faces of Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino. Kiba has since gotten rid of his old coat and now sported a black, more form fitting jacket and Akamaru has gotten much bigger since they last met, a fully matured dog now. Shino stared off in greeting, his dark glasses covering his eyes and his heavy coat covered much of his body giving well to hide his appearance.

"Hinata home?" The sly ninken user greeted.

Neji knew it was going to be a noisy day. Neji did not mind Aburame as much because he was tact, but Kiba on the other hand had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when it came to Naruto. It was not that the ninken ninja was insensitive about the loss of a friend and rival, but more so that he was greatly troubled by Hinata's change. She used to be shy but always happy, now she has been isolating herself and become dour in expression. Neji tries to assure the wild ninja that she was well, after all Neji spent most his time with her and would see when she would smile fondly when she would recall Naruto as if he had just been by recently, she just had a goal, and the branch Hyuga could not stand when Kiba would try and make her forget, as if Kiba would be able to forget Hinata had something happened to her. Before the long-haired Hyuga member could protest Kiba jumped the fence and raced in.

"Kiba wa—…" Neji tried but sighed and narrowed his eyes, hand still extended to halt the hyper ninken ninja.

Shino opened the fence and calmly walked in and stood by Neji as the annoyed Hyuga could only watch as the fool rushed in. Shino patted Neji's shoulder.

"I would say I feel bad, but I have to train with him daily." Shino offered, causing Neji to sigh in exasperation.

Akamaru barked and ran over Neji as the large dog raced after Kiba. Neji laid face first in the dirt and groaned.

"I see…" Was all Neji could say to Shino's prior quip.

After a moment or two there was an ear piercing scream followed by a howl of pain. Neji sat up and crossed his legs beneath him, dusting off his sleeves. Shino pocketed his hands and tilted his head slightly.

"Hinata was washing off after training." Shino remarked, more a statement than a question.

Neji nodded and stood to his feet.

"Let's go check the damage, I doubt Kurenai wants to hear that one of her squad members killed the other." As much as Neji wished some sense would be knocked into the ninja's thick head, he was counting his blessings at the moment.

* * *

**(A/N: I hate glossaries.)**

**Kore: used to get the attention of ones inferiors or superiors, yo, oi, oy etc.**

**Nii-chan: bro (older)**

**Nindo: Ninja way**


	7. Stem Floating in Tea

**Chapter 7: Stem Floating in Tea**

Neji deeply sighed as he took to bandaging Kiba's head and hand. The young inu-ninja feared to recall the terrible fate he suffered.

"I've learned to always knock…" He despairingly nodded as Akamaru whined for his partner's fate.

Neji pulled the bandage tightly over the inu-ninja's hand which forced a yelp of pain from him. The young Hyuga wore traditional white Hyuga family robes, abandoning his old tan jacket and shorts that had served him greatly in training. With the change of his values he had believed it came time to change his appearance to better serve the fate he built for himself. He will continue his duty and stay loyal to the clan he thought had once betrayed him. Though the older members were still arrogant and foolish when it came to their choices, he believed that if he stood by his cousin's side the family would see a great change; even Hiashi had begun to consider Hinata would be best to act as the heiress of the family instead of her younger sister Hanabi. Neji had allowed his hair to grow out, his bangs held back by his forehead protector. His expression has softened over the past two years and he is less due to his temperamental snarky remarks he was known for.

"Is it perhaps better you learned this lesson sooner, Kiba?" Shino sighed as he looked down to his perpetually rabid teammate.

Shino too had grown into a fine bug user, and is still as strange as he was two years ago. He wore a long jacket that went down to his knees and a masked hood which obstructed his sunglasses-shielded face more so than necessary. Often Kiba would tease Shino of being shy only to be asked if the inu-nin would like to help him train his _Kikaichu_. Kiba huffed and looked away. Behind them the three ninja heard as Hinata's room door slides open, than closed. The soft footsteps of Kiba, Akamaru and Shino's teammate could be heard softly shuffling against the tatami mat floors. The shoji door behind the group slid open. The three ninja were settled on the porch outside to tend to Kiba's wounds. They look up to be greeted by the warm smile of Hyuga Hinata, the third human member of Team seven.

Her dark, waist-length hair still glistened from being wet just after her bath. Her black forehead protector hung loosely around her neck. She was careful not to catch it on the zipper of her white-lavender jacket as she covered the sight of her netted vest beneath. Her navy pants cuffed just above her ankles and her sleeves just above the knuckles of her fingers.

"Gomen, Kiba-kun, are you alright?" She smiled, but it was more of a threatening sort of warning to anyone who tried that again.

The boys all waved their hands (Neji and Kiba more flustered than the relaxed Shino). Hinata nodded her head and laughed softly. The boys turned and sighed. Kiba glared at Neji with a tear at the edge of his eye, his sharp canines biting against his lip in strain

"What happened to my innocent and shy Hinata?" Kiba whispered in a growl as he gripped Neji's robe collar and pulled him closer.

Neji narrowed his pale grey eyes and looked away with disinterest.

"Oh, if I may, you have been wondering have you not Hinata?" Shino called out as all heads turned up to the bug-user.

Shino reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sealed letter.

"Hey what's that?!" Kiba huffed out as he released Neji. Akamaru and Kiba both leaned up close to Shino as the taller teen held the letter out of the pair's reach.

"Should you not be more concerned about why I have yet been unable to deliver it to Hinata-chan?" Shino questioned n annoyance.

Kiba pouted out his lip and dropped on the ground cross legged. Akamaru whined and sat at his side. Hinata blinked and stepped onto the porch as Shino walked closer, holding out the letter.

"Kurenai-sensei asked me to give this to you when I saw you, it's from the Hokage." Shino explained as he handed over the letter.

Hinata bowed her head and thanked Shino, as she excused herself a moment to read it. Hinata settled down on the porch next to Neji who had laid back against the wooden surface, lazily wondering what Ten-Ten was up to and if Lee was doing any better… Lee had been intensely training in the two years after the Hokage removed the shards of bone from his spine. The taijutsu trained ninja had been taking mission after mission in hopes to finding a lead on Sasuke or Naruto's whereabouts. It was Lee's perseverance that allowed Neji to believe in Hinata. He honestly did not have enough faith by himself to believe Naruto or Sasuke were alive, but in the small shards of faith each of them had it seemed to be amplified, even more so by Lee's unrelenting attitude.

"_Naruto is our friend and ally! He has always had faith in us, and so we shall return the favor and have faith in him!" _Lee would always argue back to anyone fool enough to proclaim the possibility of his death.

Many had wished for the boy's death, because perhaps than they would have nothing to fear. Neji could see it in their eyes, the spite they held for their faith, but they had no right to look down onto them, they who never gave Naruto a chance, they who never believed in him.

"_I will find Naruto-kun and stand by his side when he becomes Hokage." _Hinata proclaimed to her cousin.

It had finally sunk in, there was no way any of them were going to give up on those two knuckleheads, even if they had to beat them to drag them both back to Konoha. Neji blinked when he felt something soft land on his chest. He blinked opened his eyes and the letter Hinata was reading had floated down and landed on him.

"Hinata…?" Neji looked up to his cousin, who was shaking, tears at the edges of her eyes.

Neji sat up quickly as did Kiba. Shino looked to Hinata with curious concern and Akamaru whined sympathetically toward his teammate.

"N-Neji-kun…" Hinata's broken voice shook out."I-it's about Naruto-kun…" She gasped out.

Neji looked to his side and grabbed the letter and read it out loud.

_I had come to wonder why so few cared for their own, so I set out on my own will in search of my only remaining student under the ruse of research. I traveled the land these last two years in search of rumors and perhaps sightings. I lost my will; I lost my faith as a ninja because I doubted myself. It is the second year, third month and I have found what I was looking for. Unfortunately I cannot confidently say it is not a mistake. Rumor has spread from the seas of a ninja clad in orange that lurks the edges of the Kirigakure, I cannot say that it is Naruto, but I cannot say it is not. I mean what Ninja wears orange?_

_Jiraiya._

There was no mistaking it, that's what it had read.

"Guys!!" a familiar and excited voice called from the fence.

They group looked up to see all their friends standing at the compound gates: Sakura, Lee, Ten-ten, Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru. Ten-ten was giggling and waving a similar letter in hand.

***~~~~~~**~~~~~~~***

**(A/N: A stem floating in tea is considered good luck in Japan. Glossary tiem.**

**Taijutsu: Hand-to-hand combat**

**Kikaichu: Shino's parasitic insects**

**Gomen: I'm sorry (and Im sorry if u did not know that common term))**


	8. Zougen Kekkei Genkai

**Chapter 8: Zougen Kekkei Genkai**

Kirigakure, located deep within the Mizu no Kuni, was a village currently ruled by the Godaime Mizukage Terumi Mei. The village is known for their powerful and ruthless military. Cylindrical buildings, which reach into the mist, dot the foggy village and the Godaime Mizukage watches from the widest and tallest of all the buildings. Long ago the village persecuted anyone believed to carry Kekkei Genkai which is a blood-born ability of certain family lines. Thanks to the Godaime Mizukage such stigma has been all but dispelled as she carries two kekkei genkai. Terumi Mei is a powerful and composed kunoichi, known for her power and calm demeanor during battle. She was a cheerful person, a drastic comparison to the former Mizukage Yagura, but she is also stern and a bit flirtatious. A loud crash rumbled the misty morning as the Godaime Mizukage sat at her desk. She sighed as she leaned over her desk with her elbow to the surface and cheek to her hand. Her auburn hair ran down her back as her chest pressed against her desk, keeping up what her deep v-neck dress usually left slack. There was a knock at her door, but she had not bothered to answer.

After another moment the handle turned and a tall, blue-haired Kiri ANBU member stepped into the room. He wore a black patch over his right eye and an aqua blue robe over his striped shirt and pants. On either ear he wore what appeared to be talisman. He sighed as he looked across the room to the lax and sighing figure of the Mizukage. At his side stood a young ninja with scruffy, short blue hair and black-rimmed glasses with a similar stripped shirt as his senpai.

"You can't possibly be considering just letting those two run amuck again?" Ao grumbled in annoyance as he stepped into the office, almost knocking down the younger nin.

Terumi snubbed her nose and pouted. "Why do you have to be so concerned Ao, they're not doing any harm." She smiled as she watched a funnel of mist swirl up and blow out as a few people yelled out in anger.

Ao stomped toward the window while the younger, Chojuro stepped in, seeming a bit nervous and would much prefer not to be involved.

"Why? That's why?! How many years has it been?! You always let them get away!" Ao complained and went on to talk about ho back when the Kirigakure was known as the Village of Bloody Mist things like this were always taken care of!

But The Mizukage was no longer listening… She could be rather self-conscious about her age, and not yet being married. All she could hear Ao complain about was how she always let men get away and how many years it's been since she's gotten one. She growled in annoyance and stood to her feet and smiled brightly at Ao and cupped her hands under her chin.

"Shut up Ao or I'll kill you~" She spoke with a startling bright tone that made Ao jump back.

"_What the heck did I say?" _The ANBU mentally gripped as the Mizukage turned to Chojuro.

"Chojuro? What's wrong?" The Mizukage often mothered the young man, even though he was her bodyguard.

The nin rubbed the back of his head and sighed as he looked away and blushed in embarrassment from her treatment.

"Well…"He began. "I mean I understand the concern about those two, but Kouka clan do guard the village's borders and do get rid of threats in the village when we can't handle everything… plus I wouldn't wanna go against them. I hear their kekkei genkai is dangerous, it could be troublesome." Chojuro explained meekly.

"Tsk," Ao scoffed." This is exactly what I mean about you Chojuro! You'll never be a man acting like that!" Ao complained.

Chojuro looked to the ground and nodded. "Sorry." He apologized.

"He is right." The Mizukage spoke up before Ao was able to go on a tangent about the _good old days. _"Those two are just as much part of the village as anyone. Besides…" Terumi glanced over her shoulder to Ao with a smirk. "Wasn't it your team that discovered that Ko-chan is very similar to the Yondaime?"

Ao opened his mouth and furrowed his brows, annoyed to concede defeat in that aspect. He nodded to the Godaime Mizukage.

"Then leave them be, you should be more concerned about the trouble that has been developing with the rumors of the activity in the mainlands." Terumi smiled and patted Ao's shoulder. She turned to Chujuro and laughed. "How about we go out for lunch today?! It's such a lovely, misty day!" Chujuro tried to complain about the suggestion seeing as the two Kouka were up and about, but Terumi grabbed his arm and dragged him out.

Ao sighed and followed along, still put off by the fact that Ko-chan, as he was known, possibly carried a _jinchuriki _in his body… The Kouka nin, though technically part of the Kirigakure, were also strange. They are orphan ninja, technically nukenin, yet the two of them share a kekkei genkai, at least that's what many believed, but with the byakugan in his right eye he could clearly see that is not the case. Though they have similar techniques, it is a false blood limit.

Out in town a pair of orange garbed nin ran through town, laughing. In their arms they carried arm full of ramen cups and bread. A girl in an orange leotard and black tattsuke hakama lead the familiar male. She had orange hair and a long black pony tail and tattoos along her arms reminiscent of tiger stripes. A top her forehead she carried her glasses, which she swore she was blind without, but seemed all well and good to leap over obstacles and wall-run vertically, passed windows and shutters. Around her neck she wore a red forehead protector with the kanji for Tiger etched against the metal. A fluff of white fur sat around the neck of the top. It had really no use but the kunoichi always excused it by simply replying: "It's soft!" Behind her raced a blond young man in an orange and black striped jumpsuit. On his forehead he wore the same band as the girl, marking them as clan members.

"Koneko, Tora! Come back and pay for that!" An old merchant yelled.

"Yeah when you give us a job ossan!" Ko-chan yelled as he turned to run backwards and spat out his tongue, pulling down his eyelid.

"Baka Ko! Look out!" Tora called, but it was too late as the young tiger-nin ran his back into what felt like a tree.

He staggered forward and spilled several of his ramen cups from his arms. He looked forward and realized some of the villagers were backing away. Tora had lost her footing and yelped when her sandals slid against the wall and she fell into a puddle on the ground, on her back. Ko began to laugh when he heard it and turned around to tease her but soon realized _why _the villagers had been backing away… He looked up. Behind him stood massive thugs, which have lately been causing trouble in the village by bullying merchants to pay "protection fees".

The leader was a massive man that walked around in a kesho-mawashi of a deep blue and carried the sign of the village. He was a bald male and had scars all along his bare chest.

"You little brat, now you gunna get it." One of the ruffians laughed out.

"Don't you have any idea who this is?!" Another cackled.

Ko raised brow and picked up his ramen, which caused all three men to stare at the stupid boy.

"No, not really, and I don't care. Outta my way." Ko bit out, well aware of their troublesome reputation. He didn't think it was right they bullied the village like they did, but he never did see them in the act so couldn't go and stop them. It was one thing to steal food to live, and a whole another to steal to live comfortably.

The large man cracked his knuckles and sneered down at Ko.

"Then I will have to teach you _who _I am and what I stand for." He laughed.

* * *

**(A/N: Glossary)**

**Zougen Kekkei Genkai: False Blood Limit**

**Mizukage: Water Shadow**

**Jinchuriki: Tails Beast**

**Tattsuke hakama: like ninja pants? Google dang it**

**Yondaime: Fourth**

**Ossan: rude term for middle aged man**

**Kesho-mawashi: Sumo apron**


	9. Mountain Storm

**Chapter 9: Mountain Storm**

The leader was a massive man that walked around in a kesho-mawashi of a deep blue and carried the sign of the village. He was a bald male and had scars all along his bare chest.

"You little brat, now you gunna get it." One of the ruffians laughed out.

"Don't you have any idea who this is?" Another cackled.

Ko raised brow and picked up his ramen, which caused all three men to stare at the stupid boy.

"No, not really, and I don't care. Outta my way." Ko bit out, well aware of their troublesome reputation. He didn't think it was right they bullied the village like they did, but he never did see them in the act so couldn't go and stop them. It was one thing to steal food to live, and a whole another to steal to live comfortably.

The large man cracked his knuckles and sneered down at Ko.

"Then I will have to teach you _who_I am and what I stand for." He laughed.

The men laughed when their boss smacked the cups of ramen out of Kochan's hands and sent the perfectly good containers of food into a nearby puddle. Koneko sighed and rolled glared up at the large, scarred individual. He carefully examined the so-called leader. He seemed to brazenly carry the mark of the Kirigakure on his kesho-mawashi, but it was a joke. Tora had taught him that even though their symbol was different from the mark of Kirigakure they were still part of the village and it was a disgrace to betray the work the Mizukage and her predecessors had done to make the village what it was today. Even with its bloody and horrific past, the people of the Kirigakure were able to continue and learn to change. The man was known as Yama Yukio which suited the behemoth well. Ko didn't know him well, and he was not one who could go about correcting his way of life, it would be hypocritical as he was no better than the scar-faced beast. He and Tora stole food from the village and caused trouble and Ko was brazen and disrespectful to the authority figures, as opposed to his sister who was more polite. But if there was anything that Tora had taught him was even if you are a jerk, you should not be the biggest jerk in the room.

Tora dropped down behind Yama's lackies: Tenrai and Denkou. Tenrai wore a deep grey haori and a pair of black tattsuke hakama. His ankles were bound by white tape and wore straw sandals. His hair was tied back in a top knot and his eyes were storm grey coloration. He was feared for his Suiton ninjutsu. Denkou was slightly tanner than Tenrai and wore a long sleeves kimono of black and edged with yellow trim. He wore a forehead protector around his neck and was known for his Raiton ninjutsu. It was rumored that the pair had a deadly combination technique that surpassed Yama's Doton abilities, as Doton ninjutsu was known to hold a weakness to Raiton, but Yama was the boss of the pair for a reason as the wrestler also knew mixed techniques of Futon ninjutsu.

Tora looked passed Tenrai and Denkou to Ko who had not moved his eyes from Yama. She recognized that look. Ko was pissed. For such a troublesome little brother Ko had a naturally strong sense of justice when it came to _nakama_ and friends. To him this village, though they see the pair as pests still would treat them humanely. The Godaime herself had even praised Ko for his ingenuity at causing trouble and escaping apprehension so cleverly. She had offered, were he ever to want it, she would most assuredly want him part of the Kirigakure ANBU team. Ko was arrogantly proud of the praise and did little to hide it from Ao who had been at her side at the time. Ao had said something or another that had seemingly annoyed the Godaime and she immediately offered Ao's position had Ko wished, to Ao's chagrin and Ko's amusement. Even though he was an outsider, having only been with Tora for two years of his life, this was the only home he knew, the memories off his past were blurred with sadness that would fill his chest when he would try to foster an awareness for it.

Though in all that time, Kyubi had watched. He much enjoyed his free reign when it came to pulling the boy's strings who was unaware of his former affliction toward the tails beast. It was not that Kyubi was cruel, so to speak, but he did not hold the same morals that a typical mortal held so dear, after all when you are ripped of your freedom simply because your enemy cannot cultivate an understanding for your plight, than why should he care? He could not resist his nature of power, nor could he stop it had he cared to, but he was not as stupid as to let this chance go free. He would allow the one he formerly knew as Uzumaki Naruto to believe he was Kouka Koneko, it was easier this way. It was easier to manipulate him, and easier to release his chakra. The boy had learned to control his power exceptionally and ease the weight of the excess from his mighty shoulders. He would make the boy rely on his powers so that he could never again be stopped or killed. If Naruto, well Koneko, had to be his host, than his host will be his tool to release the pent up chakra and garner revenge on the one who had trapped him. There was no better revenge than using their savior's…

"_Heh heh heh…" _Kyubi laughed in the recesses of Ko's mind. "_You aren't going to let this roll of meat stand against you like that, are you boy?" _The Tail's beast hissed out from behind the seal and slammed his mighty paws into the steel gates. His heady, chakra filled breath rolled from behind the darkness as he grinned darkly. "_Show him your true power, show him my cloak." _Kyubi chuckled.

"Bahahaha!" Yama laughed as he crouched to the ground in his ready position and put his fist to the floor, creating a fierce crack in the earth beneath him. "Think you can get in my way boy? I'll crush you into oblivion!" Yama roared as he took his initial charge.

Ko readied himself and was about to release chakra, but Tora called out.

"Ko, dodge it!" She cried out as Yama turned his wrists and thrust his palms out creating a force of wind using the reserves of chakra in his arms to create a hand sized sphere of air that shot out like a cannon ball.

"Ahahaha" Tenrai laughed as dust and water filled the air from the ferocious attack. "Too bad! Yer lil friend is toast now!" The Suiton user laughed.

"Checheche." Denkou chortled. "I kidna liked the lil fella." The brazen thug mused.

Yama narrowed his eyes and stayed crouched. Denkou, Tenrai and Tora looked toward the massive, muscle bound male as he stared into the clearing dust. The sound of coughing filled the air as the water finally began to rain down, clearing the field of view completely. Ko had managed to leap out of the way at last minute. He had slide across the wetter ground he stood on, managing to push out his hand and threw a release of chakra, which pushed against the nearest surface and pushed him out of the way. The surface which his chakra release landed on had left a visible palm print which shocked Tenrai and Denkou who looked to Yama. The sumo wrestler chuckled and stood up straight.

"Seems the boy isn't all purrs and whiskers." Yama laughed out as he crouched again and gripped his knee, raising his leg into the air, only to stomp it down. "But your luck is incomparable to my skill boy." The larger man threatened as he chuckled darkly.

Tenrai and Denkou grinned as they pulled weapons from their personal hiding places. From his haori Tenrai pulled a small pair of brass knuckles he wore over his fists. Denkou slid a nunchaku from his kimono sleeves, their respective elements sparking from their tools.

"Hey Ko." Tora called as she pushed her glasses down onto her face. Ko motioned his azure eyes to his sister as she grinned. "Seems they don't know who _we _are." She winked.

Ko laughed and punched his fist into his open palm. "It's too bad we'll have to show them that this is our turf and they don't have any right to pick on anyone like they own the place. They're not part of this village!" Ko proudly announced.

Many of the villagers watched in awe as the Kouka siblings stood up to the brigands that have been plaguing the village for some time now, but their bravery would perhaps be for naught as Yama and his goons were even able to fend off Kirigakure's enforcers. In the distance Terumi Mei; the Godaime, her bodyguard Chojuro, and Ao watched from the distance.

"Are you sure about this? We can just deal wi—" Ao tried to complain but Terumi held up her hand to silence him.

She smiled and looked back over her shoulder at the patch-eyed ANBU. "Just relax, and watch." She tilted her head, pointed in the direction of battle.

**Yama Yukio: Mountain He Who Gets All He Wants**

**Tenrai: Thunder**

**Denkou: Lightning**

**Suiton: Water Release**

**Doton: Earth Release**

**Raiton: Lightning Release**

**Futon: Wind Release**

**Nakama: Partner, ally, comrade, etc.**


	10. Jinchuuriki: Simple and Stupid

**Chapter 10: Jinchuuriki: Simple and Stupid**

"Fool! Feel the force of my Hirate!" Yama roared with laughter as he thrust out his open palm at Ko-chan.

A twist of wind energy released from his palm which created a vacuum behind his massive body. The remaining energy that was pushed forward was narrow and densely twisted. It was aimed straight at Ko. While Ko and Yama duked it out, Tenrai and Denkou had caught Tora pincered from the battle.

"There's no way ye interferin' girlie!" Tenrai insisted as his straw sandals slipped against the ground, gripping his changed footing.

Tenrai punched his fists together and his knuckle weapons sparked with the energy of his chakra. Denkou allowed his arms to fall to his side, his body swayed against an unseen wind. He gripped one end of his nunchaku in his left hand and kept the other grip grounded near his feet. Tora held her arms out so that her wrists crossed over one another. Her fingers curled into a clawing motion as she slid her legs apart. The kunoichi carefully watched as Tenrai and Denkou circled her like hungry vultures.

Denkou kept his nunchaku grounded. He allowed the grip to drag along the dirt which etched narrow lines across the muddy streets. His Raiton was powerful and could go ballistic if he came into contact or edged near Tenrai's Suiton abilities. The pair typically fought solo, one would usually watch. Many believed the pair's combination skills outmatched Yama's Doton and Futon skills. Tenrai grinned and twisted his legs as he motioned to leap toward Tora. The female ninja was quick to take the defensive action and turned to attack the formidable ninja, but it was a feint! Denkou took this advantage and charged Tora from behind. Denkou's kimono sleeves billowed against the air as he raced forward.

"Raikou no Yajuu!" The darker skinned Denkou shouted as he released his chakra in an explosive manner.

Denkou threw up his arm so the energy arched in the air above his body while he kept his left arm swayed toward the ground. In the twist of motion the nunchaku's grip rose from the mucked path. Lightning shot from the thug's fingertips and crackled against the misty air. Tora jumped back, but Tenrai charged her from the right.

"Mizu no Yajuu!" Tenrai released a stream of water toward Tora, but the kunoichi managed to roll out of the way, her orange clothing was quick to collect the soaked ground.

The elder Kouka would come to regret evading the attack, for when the two Jutsu met: they erupted and formed a sphere of energy which Tenrai and Denkou stood at either side of. They held out one arm and leaned vertically against thin air. Both seemed to be holding the sphere of water which crackled with lightning, by ropes of chakra. They used these "ropes" to keep themselves in such a position.

"Checheche." Denkou chortled as his grip tightened over the wooden handle of his nunchaku.

"How do you like it kitty-cat?" Tenrai shifted and pulled his body weight back. His wrist twisted as his legs slid apart, the Suiton user quickly righting himself. Denkou "che"d and worked a similar motion as the sphere of crackling water rose into the air, and condensed into a smaller orb. The vibrations it crated shifted the mist around it, only strengthening the attack.

"Oharashi!" The two ninja shouted and whipped their respective "ropes" which snapped the sphere into the air.

Tora's eyes widened as she dropped to all fours, her length of hair danced behind her like a tiger's tail and she allowed her chakra to quickly release onto her hands and feet which touched against the ground, the mud of no concern to her.

"Shikyakusen!" The elder Kouka shot straight toward the falling sphere...

Kochan did not evade Yama's Hirate attack, but instead the ninja too dropped to all fours, much in similar stance to his elder sibling before he charged forward.

"Shikayakusen! Kochan launched right into the attack.

Both offending attacks erupted when the siblings became the direct targets of the strike.

"What the?" Ao could not believe what he had just witnessed. "Are they insane?" The ANBU member could clearly see through his "eye" when the siblings hit the attacks.

When the dust cleared the two siblings stood shoulder to shoulder on all fours, both wearing chakra cloaks. Kochan's eyes turned from azure blue to deep crimson and he now toted deadly looking fangs, very cat like in shape and size. A thick cloak of red chakra floated over his body, a single tail swaying behind him. Tora stood by his side wearing a deep orange cloak of chakra, a longer and thinner tail of energy flowed behind her. Ao had seen the siblings lurch toward the attacks. Ko hand twisted his body so the tunnel of air shot passed his agile body. Tora on the other had was more ferocious in her assault and actually heel-kicked the sphere of water into the already rain-heavy grounds of Kirigakure and neutralized it. While still in the air they had already began to form the coats of visible chakra, which only became complete when they landed.

"Well Ao?" The Mizukage chuckled at the open-mouthed ANBU.

Ao swallowed and shook his head.

"Though the Kouka girl is powerful, her chakra isn't as dense as Ko-chan's." Ao explained.

"Doesn't Koneko have a Jinchuuriki?" Chojuro questioned nervously as he furrowed his brows.

"It is interesting, but we'll leave this to Ao, won't we Chujuro? I did promise lunch~" The Terumi chirped teasingly at the ANBU who could do nothing but sputter out.

"W-wait, what? Me?" By the time Ao turned to face the Godaime she was already several meters away with Chojuro. "Hey!" he shouted in indignation.

"Do a good job!" The Mizukage offered as she turned and left poor Ao to the trouble that only seemed to grow in the village's market.

"And it had started out as such a productive day..." The ANBU complained.

The two cloak wearing Kouka members stared their opponents down. Yama felt a cold sweat form on his brow when he realized that he had perhaps bit down on more than he could chew, but he would not be outshone by a pair of kittnes!

"Tck!" Yama scoffed as he ducked down and allowed his knuckles to brush against the muddy grounds.

Denkou and Tenrai stood at either side of the mountainous man. The pair held out their arms parallel to their lineup and Yama smirked as he used the muddy ground to amplify his Doton Jutsu.

"Doromichi!" The massive man shouted as he thrust out both palms and sent a wave of muddy water at the pair of ninja.

The wall of mud crashed and churned along the road. Many people shouted and fled from the streets and onto higher ground but the cloak wearers did not move, and soon their hands and feet were wrist and ankle deep in the sea of earth. Denkou leapt backwards and landed on Tenrai's shoulders.

"Jikiarashi!" Denkou and Tenrai shouted as they motioned their hands as if pulling on rope.

These invisible ropes of chakra they pulled worked on the flow of Yama's doton energy. It allowed Denkou to use his Raiton and warp the polarity of energy that twisted between Yama's doton and Tenrai's Suiton. The road of mud pulled the two cloak users toward their enemies, the hardened mud shackles to their mobility. Ao rushed toward the fight. he could see with his Byakukgan that if the cloak users released any more chakra they would risk damaging not only their bodies but good section of the market.

"Damn Jinchuuriki!" Ao cursed as he griped at the situation. "So stupid, but thank goodness they're simple." Ao leap high above the battle. "Get rid of the threat and you end the battle!" Ao used his sensing abilities as a Hunter-nin and anticipated the flow of chakra so he could cut it. "Here goes nothing!"

Ao landed a kick straight into the face of Yama. He sent the roll of muscle and fat barreling down the streets and clear into a vase shop which shattered all of the goods. The owner of the shop, though relieved the thug was out of commission, yelled at Ao for destroying his goods. Denkou and Tenrai were caught by Ao's deadly glare. The pair of ninja shivered and jumped off back.

"Che!" Denkou scoffed as he ran toward Yama to help him to his feet, though failed cause Yama was twice his size.

"We won't forget this Ao!" Tenrai accused as he stole one more glance at Koneko and Tora before running to help his partners.

"We'll be back and you'll be sorreh fer interfering filthy ANBU!" Yama weakly threatened as the red mark on his face throbbed.

Ao's patience was thin and snapped when he turned around to scold Tora and Ko, but the ANBU opened his eye only to see the dirtied pair picking up their goods.

"Hey!" The hunter-nin shouted. "Hold it you two!" He demanded, but the pair laughed.

"Sorry ossan but I'm not getting in trouble for picking a fight, later my stomach's growling!" Kochan laughed and ran off.

Tora smiled and winked. She waved her hand and giggled.

"Sorry Ao-ojisan, dinner time!" And with that Tora ran off with Ko down the road which lead out of Kirigakure.

"Ahhh!" Ao shouted and kicked a stick, which happened to be holding up one of the market's tents. Ao felt his blood boil as he sat under the now collapsed tarp and the shouting merchant called him a good-for-nothing for not taking care of that mountain bear earlier.

Truth be told the Kirigakure ANBU had been only watching Yama and his group. They suspected the pair to be part of a larger group which has been a scourge to the mainlands, but could not act until they got more information.

"Thanks to Ko and Tora..." Ao cursed as he climbed up from the mes and stretched and popped his aching back. "I'm too old for this nonsense." He bellyached.

When Yama, Denkou and Tenrai were out of the village, and given time to lick at their wounds, Tenrai went up to Yama's side. It was clear the beast of a man was unhappy with the events of the day, being talked off by a kid than nearly shown his place by one.

"Boss." Tenrai called, only to earn a glare from the enraged sumo. "I heard sumthin' interestin' come outta that ANBU's mouth..." he grinned when he recalled the word _jinchuuriki _slip from the annoyed Hunter-nin's mouth.

Yama raised a brow in curiosity...

Back at Konohagakure the generation of Konoha ninjas that stood apart from the hateful past that once surrounded Naruto had gathered together to search for a friend they had not yet abandoned, even if much of the village had. Since Missions would be needed to be continued the groups each split up to accept missions in the areas that a person of Naruto's description was spotted.

The first were the forests of the Hi no Kuni. The second location was the dense mist of the Mizu no Kuni, and the last being in the Tsuchi no Kuni which was just north-west of the Hi no Kuni. They would find their lost friend, no matter what it took, because they were assured he would do the same for them.

* * *

**(A/N: Glossary eh?)**

**Hirate**: Palm Thrust (sumo)

**Raikou no Yajuu: ** Wild Beast of Lightning

**Mizu no Yajuu: **Wild Beast of Water

******Oharashi**: Raging Storm

**Doromichi**: Muddy Road

**Jikiarashi**: Magnetic Storm

**Shiyakusen**: Assassin (Jutsu)

**Tsuchu no Kuni**: Land of Earth


	11. Search for my Past

**Chapter 11: Search for my Past**

They could no longer sit by and wait. With Konohamaru's brave words the Godaime Hokage she decided to set up special missions. With the Toad Sage back on the road searching for his apprentice, the only ones left were the new generation. They all had been touched by Naruto's heart in some way and they could not abandon him, and she knew well they were right. Naruto was too stubborn to die. There was also the problem of Kyuubi. It would not let Naruto die so easily, not its host. If Naruto died, so did the the beast. There were so many unknowns, and what was worse were the things going on outside of the Hi no Kuni. It was a good idea to send them out and let the children witness for themselves the reality outside of the peaceful village. They were only peaceful because of their military power, and with just one tip of the scale it could all change, especially now that they have lost their trump card which carried over the damiyo's head for so long...

One team was sent to the Tsuchi no Kuni: Shino, Choji and Ino, lead by Asuma. There were rumors that those able to cross the mountains would come to an ocean that "is fed by the world seas". The second team was sent to the Kaze no Kuni: Shikamaru, Lee and Tenten. They were led by Temari who was sent by Gaara after he learned about the possibility of his friend being alive. The Kazekage knew well that Naruto was too stubborn to kill and being a carrier of a tails beast he knows well they will not allow their host to so easily die. They would first rampage before ever letting it happen.

Kankuro was sent off to the the former village of Yukigakure in the Yuki no Kuni to see to a few diplomatic resolves. Naruto had come to save their village, they would call to that favor and save their friend. The final team consisted of Neji, Hinata and Sakura. They were led by Kakashi and sent to the Mizu no Kuni. It was the closest to water and would most likely be the hardest to search due to it consisting of so many islands and being so far from the mainland they have the least resources necessary for such an expedition. Kiba was sent to find the Toad Sage and deliver an important message. The forests were given to the ANBU teams who were more familiarized with them.

Team Tsuchi would have the most trouble. The lands were mostly barren and that was the problem. The arid lands made travel long and difficult. Where the Sunagakure was troubled by sand, sun and winds, it was mostly flat lands aside from the occasional dunes, but the Tsuchi no Kuni was suffocated with mountains, high altitudes and thin air which pulled at the body and drained it, even more so when more supplies had to be carried. Ninjas also suffered altitude sickness if they did not properly prepare. The Kaze no Kuni was devastating, but was nothing once one reached the Sunagakure, fortunately Temari would be their guide, it was her home afterall, they would also have the help of the Sunagakure Ninjas and ANBU. Gaara wanted to find his friend and there were many underground springs here that led to the rivers that cut through the lands and oceans that surrounded the mainland.

Back in the Kirigakure the boy formerly known as Naruto was treated, along with his adoptive sister Tora, were treated by the Godaime Mizukage to dinner. The Kouka twins were stuffed and had for once gone home satisfied. The village always tolerated the Kouka Family. Even though they had Genkai and were shunned by the village. Ko always wondered about that. With a fully belly and clear spirit after a good fight a good air hung over his sister and him. When the twins returned the camp Koneko settled down on his sleeping bag, kicking off his sandals which fell discarded by his sack of belongings. A few kunai, scrolls and empty instant food cups laid rolling in the burlap sack. Tora promised to steal him a nicer satchel when she could. She was a bit older so had a better organized way about her. She always kept her kunai safely buried in her suna-ate cloth wraps and her small short blade on the small of her back.

Tora sat crouched, patting around her sleeping bag looking for her glasses. "Oh man, Ko-chan have you seen my glasses?" She worried. She was practically blind without them! "I think I left them back at the restaurant." She scratched her fingers through her bright orange hair, the black streaks that also appeared on her arms made her certainly look like the tiger she was claimed to be. Ko watched his sister, his arms folded behind his head as he stared up at the top of their tent. He looked over about to speak but began to laugh and snicker.

Tora whorled around, still crouched as the tent had limited room. "What's so funny?" She huffed. Ko pointed up at her head. "They're right there!" he laughed in his scratchy voice. Tora glanced up at her bangs and tapped her fingers about until the slipped over the arms of her glasses. She sighed and slid them down onto her nose. She huffed and removed the lenses to clean them using the tail of her ponytail. It often hung down and swayed behind her, acting almost like a tail.

Kochan settled down and looked over to his sister with his squinted eyes and a pursed lip. "Hey Tora-nee," he hesitated a bit at first, but it was a good mood and he only hoped he would not be the one to ruin it. "How come we're shunned by the others?" he was waiting for it, the cold silence, or the brush off. She always did.

She laughed and sat down on her sleeping bag turning to face Ko, a scroll in her hands. "I suppose you're old enough to tell now." She smirked and patted the spot beside her on her bag. Ko laughed and scurried over like an eager little brother. It was a strange feeling for him. It was like a void was being filled somewhere in his heart. Kyuubi could only chuckle at the thought. He'll let the foolish boy dream a little while longer. He had all the time in the world to exact his revenge on those foul beasts that locked him up. Let him grow, let him love. It will be all the more painful when he loses it all.

Tora pulled open the old scroll, which was a bit yellowed from age. A seal marked the scroll indicating it belonged to the Kouka family. It was the the kanji that read _Crimson-Flower: _紅花_. _

Ko leaned in close as his sister began to read the text. It was their family history, a history stained by the bloody mist that once filled Kirigakure.

_Chirigi no Sato, Village of the Bloody really used to be called that because of the harsh background. This country has a lot of missing-nin and a long time ago our family used to be the top hunter-nin in the region. We were depended on by the Yondaime Mizukage of this village. Our great grandfather, Kouka Hyou, was nearly a candidate for the _Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu, _and were the most respected nin in the village. Kouka ojisama was declared dead after the Chunin exams, but it seems he faked his death. No one ever found out how Kouka ojisama did it, but he did. Yagura-sama was impressed and made him head of the ANBU. We had always been known for our kekki genkai. We could use our chakra to create powerful forms of our souls. We are protected by animal spirits. Kouka ojisama was protected by the leopard. He could form a spotted chakra animal cloak and would earn all the positive attributes of a leopard, tenfold. Speed, strength, agility..._

_There were a lot of war struggles and Yagura-sama wanted to stay in power and used our family. Not that we minded, anything for the village, we were always raised to believe. We were raised to take what we wanted and kill when ordered. You killed for the village and were praised by the Mizukage. We were feared for our genkai because of it, even though was our duty to protect our village from outsiders. It didn't matter... we loved out village and even when we were shunned after the wars and forced to live outside the main village we were still supported by the Mizukage. Mei-nee-chan is nice to us so you have to remember Kochan that if she ever asks us for help its a Kouka duty. Our name is both beautiful and ugly. The crimson stain of blood and the precious beauty of the flower._

_We are the Kyoushu Squad of the Kirigakure. Our strength, our bodies are for Kirigakure, the people, the Mizukage!_

Tora blinked and looked down when she felt a weight on her lap. She looked down, pulling the scroll up abit. She chuckled at the sight of Koneko sound asleep with his head on her lap. She folded the scroll and gently rolled him over to lay. She snuggled up next to him and pulled the flap of her sleeping bag over them.

"Oyasuminasai, otouto..." She hugged him from behind and snuggled her face into the crook of his neck, sighing contently. The siblings were soon sound asleep, surrounded by nothing but the sounds of the evening mists.

* * *

**(A/N: Glossary:**

**Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu: Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist**

**Kouka Kyou: Leopard of the Crimson Mist**

**Kyoushu: Assassin**

**otouto: little brother**

**Partially Beta'd by GrrDraxin)**


	12. Through the Valley, Beneath the Shado

**Chapter 12: Through the Valley, Beneath the Shadow of Death**

The howling winds winds of the barren fields of glittering sands would cut across the wide lands of the Kaze no Kuni. The sun was high, bright and foot prints were swallowed the moment they were pressed into the ever-shifting earth. Any skin baring itself to the air would earn scrapes and burns from subsequent passings of eroding sands. The sound of Shikimaru sucking in air against his teeth was heard even across the howling winds. Temari was leading the group. Behind her in line followed by Shikamaru, Tenten. Lee was ahead of the group, punishing himself for falling behind. Temari had warned the overachieving taijutsu user to reserve his energy, but there was no changing his stubborn mind. Temari had heard that click of breath for what seems the hundredth time. She came to a halt and turned to face Shikamaru and Tenten who stopped. The closed fan she oft carried on her back was slammed against the sand and sent a reverberating tremble across the flat landscape.

Int the distance Lee had stopped upon the top of a dune, looking out, cheering to the world: calling out Naruto's name expectantly. Shikamaru sighed as Tenten giggled at Lee's energetic personality. The cheerful girl looekd up to the blonde sand ninja. She knew that glare and winced. "H-hey Lee!" Tenten called and ran off toward the dunes. Shikamaru scoffed and raised a brow. He had tucked his hands into his pockets, trying to save them from the painful scraping of the winds of sand. With long sleeves and goggles pulled over his eyes he was protected from the sands as much as he needed.

As Temari felt the ANBU that were sent by Gaara, even vacate the vicinity around them, she felt well enough to glare at the young man. "This entire trip you have been silently complaining!" The sand ninja snapped, leaving the young man to raise a brow in irritated confusion. She was complaining... of him not verbalizing his complaints. Temari sighed, understanding that perhaps her words were a bit, jumbled. She took a step toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "This isn't like you Shikamaru." Temari said as she looked over her shoulder at Tenten and Lee, only to turn back to face the young man whom she felt earnest love for. "By now you would have driven me to near murder with your complaining, yet..." He was unusually quiet. Shikamaru mumbled and looked away. He sighed. Maybe she was right.

"Look, just- I guess something's been bothering me." he was really able to put his finger on it. He was probably begin paranoid, even guiltily disbelieving in the fact that Naruto was- "Temari, Shikamaru!" Tenten's voice shrilled out, not in panic, but in delight. The pair turned to face their friend. Her face was pulled back in absolute glee in the discovery she had made. "We're not the only ones out here!" Her claim caused the sand ninja and Chunin to look to each other and race off. No one should be here in the middle of the desert. The two raced off toward the dunes. When they finally scuttled to the top, across the sands, they caught sight of what Tenten and Lee could see. "Look! Another traveler! Isn't this great!" Lee exclaimed and threw his arm to the air.

"What the...?" Temari pulled her hand over her eyes to shade them from the glaring sun. In the distance she could easily see a strange form wearing a black cloak which left an obvious trail for miles, at least sections of as the winds constantly kneaded and churned the landscape. The form wore a straw hat and seemed to be toting a hunched form. "Lee wait! Tenten!" Was all Temari heard Shikamaru call before she spotted the pair racing down the sand dune. Shikamaru sighed. The sand-nin turned toe face him in question. He shook his head and put his hands on his hips. "Remember I said I had a bad feeling?" His eyes followed the trail. "There's nothing but desert out here for miles. He's obviously traveled for miles and his steps are weighed down." Temari nodded, glad to see Shikamaru back to normal.

The pair jumped off the dune and raced off after the two. Lee and Tenten came to a sudden stop, as did the stranger. Temari slid to a halt and turned to face behind them. "Sandstorm!" She looked around and caught a single from the ANBU off hiding. The sand-nin waved her hand and motioned to the others. "This way quick!" The sandstorms of the Kaze no Kuni's sandstorms were deadly and were not something you wanted to be caught out in without protection, and unfortunately for Shikamaru's team they were not that prepared. Shikamaru had seen this coming and openly complained about their rushing out and not grabbing any proper supplies beyond their water jugs.

Soon the group was out of the storm and in a cave the ANBU members had searched out, of which were no where in sight when the group arrived. The cloaked man slid down into the cave with them, but soon found a kunai pointed to his neck. The man turned his eyes up toward Shikamaru. He was indeed hunched, no taller than four feet. Being closer Shikamaru could better see what the figure wore. He had never seen someone wear such a strange cloak, and the red patterns of swirls that ran along the fabric, and in such heat.

"Who are you?" The Chunin questioned. The now obvious male chuckled. "I am but a traveling puppet maker, nothing more." He responded. His voice was deep, scratchy and barely called over the winds of the sandstorm. They would be trapped until it passed. Shikamaru sighed, for now they needed to settle. These storms lasted anywhere from a few hours, to a few days. He looked to Tenten and Lee. "You two find some tinder to build a fire." It got subzero in the desert at night. The cave was not a stone cave, bu a more underground earthen cove. There would surely be some roots and cave grass growing. Shikamaru eyed Temari who held just as much suspicion on the man as he. What was a man doing wandering the desert on his own?

Shikamaru had looked to Temari for but a moment. _Damn!_ He jumped back just as something whizzed passed his head and embedded into the cave wall. The figure chuckled darkly as he was now standing upside down on the cave's ceiling, his cloak billowing to the floor with his straw hat. Whatever he was, whoever he was he was no human. Click and clatter escaped every time he bent a join. His body was a dark as clay and his head was bald, sporting quill like spines of hair like forms. He carried a scorpion like tail and held to the wall much like one. The tail extended from a red clay form, that was shaped like a noh mask, and he wore black clothing.

"I've come to end you!" He rattled and lunged at Shikamaru, the one who wore the crest of the Konoha and the one who wore the crest of the Suna: Leaf and Sand.


	13. Akasuna

**Chapter 13: Akasuna**

The creature's tail rattled again. "It is too bad. I had become separate from my present company due to a little...distracting encounter, but running into Konoha nin out here is my oasis in this desert." He chuckled darkly as he scaled about the cavern walls like a spider.

"Why you!" Temari was about to reach for her fan but Shikamaru held her back.

"No hold it!" he called, pushing her fan down. The cave was too small to go all out on the figure. By the clothing Shikamaru had already figured him asa member of the Akatsuki, and knew it was going to be a battle sooner or later, though he had hoped later. With the fact that the man initiated combat, the small space, which offered no quarter for combatants like Temari, Tenten, and Lee. Save for himself, who used shadow strings, no others would be able to fight without destroying the cave, which was on the verge as it was.

He knew that the Konoha-nin had another Jinchuuriki, but it had been hidden, according to their spies. With Deidara off hunting their target Jinchuuriki: the one tails and its host.

"Look out!" Shikamaru called out and pushed Temari out of the way. The young Chunin's voice carried through the cave, were it to carry far enough perhaps it would alert his allies? But his concern, at that moment, was this figure.

He was fast. If not for the shadows he would have not even seen the tail of the man, or even creature, move. It was frightening. Shikamaru jumped back, all but shoving Temari out of the way. She was stubborn, but he was level-headed. He pressed his fingers together in a sign and watched as dust billowed into the air when the tail struck the ground so fiercely, but it had not ended there. The tail curled and scooped upward, shooting toward Shikamaru, but he was prepared.

The dark-haired Chunin leapt back and reached behind him to his pack to grab his tanto. He had already seen all of the problems he had to deal with. Whoever this was, he had more mobility than he did and that tail seemed to be his only extension, but what did the Akatsuki hold under that cloak and what did he want? There were too many variables, but he could work his way out this battle. First thing was first...

"Run!" He turned and pushed Temari ahead. She was quick to get the message and run off.

The Akatsuki gives chase. As the ghastly shaped ninja chased the pair, Temari struggled to understand Shikamaru's reasoning behind this. _Don't worry! _He had assured. Using his flash bombs Shikamaru tried to slow their pursuer with blinding explosions of light and crumble the cavern walls to block the nin's path. He had tried to use the Kagemane no Jutsu to pin the beast's tail, but it went completely unaffected.

With that alone Shikamaru could easily see that the Akatsuki member was far stronger than even he, and it would take more than just brute strength to stop him. He would had hoped that the noise would alert their allies deeper in the cave.

"Shikamaru!" Temari called as she dashed along side him. The man behind them was kick, but they had luck on their sides and even as that scorpion-like tail drilled clean through the boulders, it also slowed him down considerably. The Chounin turned his head to look to the sand-nin who motioned her head.

"Take out some of these walls." She, begin from this region, knew well the structures of the deep cave walls and topography of the land. The most important thing to have in the desert was water. "We can flood this inner cave and slow him down!" By the color of the walls as they raced deeper the sand-nin could easily tell there were alcoves of water behind the sandstone walls.

By this time the Akatsuki's cloak was in tatters from the flying rock shrapnel and cave walls. Shikamaru turned and gripped his tanto tightly. He was amazed the see the almost inhuman form beneath the Akatsuki member's cloak. It appeared to be some sort of armor, but it was difficult to see in the low light. Shikamaru scoffed at the troublesome times that seemed to follow. Well if Naruto was good for anything it was granting him patience.

"Got it." The Chounin flatly responded and slide across the ground to make a tight turn, but instead of following Temari around the corner he came to a halt facing the Akatsuki. He smirked and pressed his fingers together to diffuse the trap he had set as he ran by. He had set a scroll pinned to the rock wall with a kunai, but instead of executing the explosive attack he froze.

"We'll save you!" Came barreling a familiar, enthusiastic voice. Lee shot passed Shikamaru and landed a fierce rolling kick against the Akatsuki's body. The Akatsuki had not expected such force from a single attack and was sent barreling backwards, his cloak ripping tp shreds and the armor under his cloak obviously shattering; the sound of the cracking armor scattered across the cavern.

"Lee!" Shikamaru called out in a bit of surprise. He had not expected them to be so close and had to quickly rewrite his mental calculations. He felt Tenten grab his arm.

"This way, quick!" the young leaf-nin called and ran down deeper into the cave. Shikamaru and Temari followed the ninja as the taijutsu artists stared down the traveling Akatsuki member. His body lay crumbled in a pile of debris and cloth, but soon stood another figure, chuckling boredly at the turn of the ironically exciting event.

Lee stood ready. He knew exactly what he was facing...

"What do you mean?" Temari all but shrieked at Tenten's admittance.

"It's true!" The female leaf-nin assured. "Jiraya told us that his name was Akasuna no Sasori!" Shikamaru wasn't sure what that meant, but by Temari's reaction it couldn't have been good.

"This is bad." Temari offered no consolation to Shikamaru's weary thoughts. "We have to send word to the village, fast." Temari pulled her fan from her back and opened it to full strength. "It's risky, but we have to break out of here fast. Shika!" Shikamaru understood what he had to do, and it was troublesome. Lee was a hardheaded guy and luring him from a challenge wasn't going to be easy, but it was necessary.

* * *

**(A/N: Akasuna: Red Sand**


	14. Blood Red Fin

**Chapter 14: Blood Red Fin**

Asuma's group made their way through the Tsuchi no Kuni. The fearsome Gan'u, or rock rain, a phenomenon well recorded in the Land of Earth, kept many from straying too deep into the country. The Tsuchi no Kuni was home to the Ishigakure no Sato, the Village Hidden Under the Stones. It lies directly between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind and is controlled by the Daimyo of Earth. Little is known about the country's power as travel to the country is restricted by the natural fortress of mountain range that separated the desert lands and hidden village.

Asuma, Shino, Ino and Choji followed the paths, struggling against the raining stones as they crashed upon the earth, forever shifting the lands that stood unable to be chartered or mapped due to their ever changing landscape. Trouble seemed to be narrowed between falling rocks and jagged cliffs that would appear out of nowhere when the grounds would quake and tremble beneath the force of the Gan'u.

The group followed what they believed to be "cut paths" to the best of possibility as many paths lay fresh and others lay dormant under a barricade of stone embedded in the grounds. Things were going well, but from the Ishigakure an unfamiliar pair of missing-nin drew nearer to the group who actively searched for their lost comrade. The nin had received orders from the leader of the village and were off to earn their pay, but as they drew nearer, the identities of the ninja became clear as they proudly carried their country's marks upon their bands.

The missing-nin wore black cloaks that were covered with red clouds. Both wore bands of their former villages, but a defacing scar ran over the sacred symbols to indicate their broken vows of loyalty.

"Hey," one of the black-cloaked nin called to his partner, a smirk drawing up on his pale, almost aqua colored skin. "Those are leaf nin." he would smugly proclaim with a chuckle. The red, misshapen eyes of his partner looked up from his steps, the title piquing interest.

Asuma and the others had noticed the nin, and the cloaks were more than easy for the Jonin to recognize the men as members of Akatsuki, having been briefed by the Hokage before they left. Each team had been appointed a watcher and the leaders of these groups were strictly advised to not approach any battle that seemed time consuming and intense. The older Jonin was told these Akatsuki individuals are leaving the silence of their dark activities and coming out into the open. Orochimaru, according to Jiraya, was a member of the Akatsuki, though it is unknown if he is still in league with them, regardless of the situation, no one should confront these men, and run whenever given the chance.

The old Shogi expert already knew there would be no running from this fight. He whistled out and looked to Ino, motioning his head. The silent command was enough for the kunoichi. Ino patted Shino's arm and broke off from their group to continue ahead to find the ocean they searched for. Asuma and Choji came to a stop before the Akatsuki nin. The pale, almost grey-skinned nin scoffed at the two that ran off. The missing-nin grinned, his teeth like a shark's fangs.

"Come on Itachi, Samehada's hungry." The pale-skinned Akatsuki chuckled. Itachi turned his Sharingan polluted eyes toward the Jounin and his kouhai. The former leaf-nin seemed rather dissapointed.

Asuma took a ready position as Kisame pulled a bandage covered blade from his back. The Jonin bit down on a cigarette that seemed to be ever settled between his lips. Itachi looked to the older male, regarding him for a moment. Choji got a bad vibe from this, these were no ordinary ninja, and the one with blood red eyes... he had the symbol of Konoha upon his protector band.

"So..." Itachi began. "Do any of you know the well being of my brother?" He would softly smirk at the hopes his sibling fed into his plans and ideals rather than continue to lay in the waste of weakness that was Konoha. Choji scoffed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He sneered in distaste. Those eyes, he knew those eyes. They were only rumors, but they were the kekkai of the Uchiha clan.

Itachi scoffed as his eyes followed he path that Ino and Shino had followed. He eyed Kisame and nodded. "Make it quick, we've a mission." The nin noted as he shuffled off to the side lazily.

Asuma sneered. "And just what mission is that?" He held his blades in his clenched fists and fed chakra into the weapons, creating chakra blades. Kisame laughed and raised his blade into the air before gripping the hilt, which ended in a skull, and pointing it in Asuma's direction.

"Wouldn't you like the find out?" the Akatsuki hissed out and charged the Jonin.

Itachi and Kisame were given the mission to head to Konoha and find the carrier of the tails beast and put an end to the Hi no Kuni's immeasurable power. Little did they know that the tails beast was already gone, and changing the power balance in Kisame's old vilalge: Kirigakure.


End file.
